Guitar neck construction



Oct. 19, 1965 J. c. COOKERLY ETAL 3,212,384

GUITAR NECK CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 15, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS JACK C. COOKERLY GEORGE R. HALL 514m paw 1965 J. c. COOKERLY ETAL 3,212,334

GUITAR NECK CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 13, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS JACK C. COOKERLY BY GEORGE R. HALL ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,212,384 GUITAR NECK CONSTRUCTION Jack C. Cookerly, 7566 Atoll Ave., North Hollywood, Calif., and George R. Hall, 13613 Huston Sh, Sherman Oaks, Calif.

Filed Sept. 13, 1963, Ser. No. 308,871 6 Claims. (Cl. 84-293) This invention relates generally to guitars and more particularly, to a novel guitar neck construction for electric guitars.

In electrical guitars, we have discovered that it is most desirable to minimize the resonant effects of the body and neck portion of the guitar on the strings, since the quality of the tone is provided by electrically generated signals responsive to the strings rather than resonant effects in the body as in the case of acoustic guitars. In order to minimize interaction between the body and neck portion of the guitar with the strings, the nut and bridge should engage the strings at nodal points, in the neck and body, so that these neck and body nodal points will correspond to the nodal points in the string at the bridge and nut. The body portion of the guitar itself may be made of a relatively large mass without departing from the desired aesthetic appearance of the guitar and thereby minimize inter-reactions with the strings. The neck portion, however, is usually a relatively thin elongated structure. While this thin elongated structure could be altered in the interests of adding considerable mass to the neck and thus serving to minimize resonant interactions between the neck and the strings, such changes would result in a relatively bulky instrument, which would be aesthetically unattractive as well as difficult for a player to properly finger.

Another approach to the problem of interaction between the neck portion of the guitar and the strings would be to lengthen the peg head a considerable extent so that the total length of the neck portion and peg head on either side of the nut would be substantially equal. With this arrangement, the strings would be supported by the nut at substantially a nodal point of the neck. However, to increase the length of the peg head would again produce an awkward appearing instrument.

With all of the foregoing considerations in mind, it is accordingly a primary object of this invention to provide an improved guitar neck construction in which the position of the nut engaging the strings is effectively at a nodal point of the neck so that a result substantially similar to that obtained if the neck and peg head extended for equal lengths on either side of the nut is realized.

Still another object is to provide an improved neck construction incorporating materials of different acoustical properties to the end that the resonant curve of the neck may be considerably broadened so that the nodal point of the neck essentially extends over a limited area. By this arrangement, the position of the string nodal parts when fretting the instrument will still coincide substantially with the neck nodal area.

Briefly, these and many other objects and advantages of this invention are attained by providing an elongated neck portion merging from the body of the guitar and terminating at its far end in a peg head. A conventional nut is provided at the beginning point of the peg head and the peg head itself is physically shorter than the neck portion between the nut and the connection of the neck portion to the body. The overall aesthetic appearance of the guitar neck is thus pleasing.

In accordance with a first important feature of the invention, the peg head incorporates weight means which in effect change the acoustical characteristics of the peg head to correspond to the characteristics that would be 3,212,384 Patented Oct. 19, 1965 realized if the peg head itself were substantially of the same length as the neck portion extending between the nut and the body of the guitar. With this arrangement, the length of the neck and peg head extending on either side of the nut appear acoustically to be of equal length so that a nodal point in the neck is established substantially at the position of the nut even though the actual physical length of the peg head is shorter than the length of the neck portion of the guitar.

In the preferred form of the neck construction, the weight means takes the form of a simple enlargement in the physical construction of the neck adjacent to the nut. This enlargement establishes a nodal area at this portion of the neck and also increases the strength of this portion of the neck. In addition, a further weight may be added in the form of a small bar of metal or similar heavy material incorporated at the extreme end of the peg head.

The overall acoustical characteristics of the neck may also be altered to minimize interaction with the strings by laminating the construction of the neck with different woods having different acoustical properties. By this means, the resonant curve of the neck itself is considerably broadened and thus the nodal area of the neck is broadened.

A better understanding of the invention will be had by now referring to a preferred embodiment thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of the neck portion of a guitar designed in accordance with the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary cross-section of the neck taken generally in the direction of the section line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary elevational view of a conventional guitar neck showing resonant characteristics thereof; and,

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary elevational view of the neck construction of this invention showing the improved resonant characteristics over that of FIGURE 3.

Referring first to FIGURE 1, there is shown a guitar neck portion 10 merging at one end from the guitar body 11. The other end of the neck portion 10 terminates in a peg head 12 incorporating a plurality of tuning pegs 13. Suitable guitar strings 14 extend from the tuning pegs 13 above a finger board 15 containing the conventional frets 16.

As shown, the strings will extend from the tuning pegs 13 over a nut 17 positioned at the beginning point of the peg head 12. To minimize acoustic inter-reactions between the neck and strings, it is desirable that a nodal point in the neck exist at the point of mounting of the nut 17. Such a nodaal point could be established if the length of the neck and peg head sides of the nut 17 were of substantially equal length. However, if such were to be effected, the peg head 12 would be elongated to such an extent that the entire guitar would be aesthetically unattractive.

In accordance with the present invention, a nodal point in the neck may be established substantially at the position of the nut 17 by incorporating weight means within the peg head 12. In the preferred form of the invention, this weight means takes the form of an enlargement 13 formed in the peg head adjacent to the nut 17. The enlargement is located necessarily slightly beyond the nut 17 in order that a player may still finger the frets 16 adjacent to the nut 17.

Further improvement in the acoustical characteristic may be effected by incorporating an additional weight 19 in the form of a metal bar adjacent to the extreme end of the peg head 12.

With particular reference to the cross-section of FIG- J8 URE 2, it will be noted that the enlargement 18 at the beginning of the peg head 12 extends transversely across the underside of the neck. Similarly, the bar weight 19 at the end may extend transversely beneath the end portion of the peg head.

In FIGURE 2 the length of the neck portion 10 at the point where it merges from the body 11 to the nut 17 is designated D and the length of the peg head 12 itself is designated d. By the provision of the weight means 18 and 19, the dimension d can be made less than the dimension D so that the overall aesthetic appearance of the guitar neck structure will be pleasing. On the other hand, the weights themselves result in a nodal point being established at the nut 17 for the neck, the same as though the lengths D and d were equal.

To improve further the acoustic isolation between the neck and strings, the neck itself may be of a laminated construction. Thus, as illustrated in FIGURE 2, there may be provided two layers of material such as metal or wood 10a and 10b. The layer 10a may be solid mahogany and the layer ltlb walnut. The speed of sound in these respective wood materials is different so that in effect the resonant curve of the neck structure is considerably broadened and the nodal area under the nut similarly broadened. Further layers of wood or metal may be used.

Referring now to FIGURES 3 and 4, the operation of the guitar incorporating the improved neck construction will be better understood. In FIGURE 3, there is shown a conventional neck 20extending from a guitar body 21 and including a nut 22. A resonant nodal point 23 near the center of the neck will be established resulting from the resonant curve shown in dotted lines at 24.

Referring now to FIGURE 4, when the weight 18 is added, the nodal point is elfectively shifted to the nut 17. A nodal area is thus established in the neck substantially at the position of the nut 17 and first few frets as shown by the curve 25. In other words, the added weight in the peg head will so alter the acoustic characteristics of the peg head portion, that the peg head will react in a manner as though it were of substantially the same length as the portion of the neck between the nut 17 and the body 11. In addition, the laminated structure as described broadens the resonant curve as also indicated by the curve 25.

From the foregoing description, it will be evident accordingly that the present invention has provided a greatly improved guitar neck construction. Proper isolation particularly desirable for electrical guitars between the neck and strings themselves is effected without altering appreciably the physical appearance of the overall guitar construction.

While only one particular embodiment of the invention has been set forth and described, various changes that fall clearly within the scope and spirit of the invention will occur to those skilled in the art. The guitar neck construction is therefore not to be thought of as limited to the specific embodiment set forth merely for illustrative purposes.

What is claimed is:

I. A guitar neck construction for a guitar, comprising: an elongated neck portion extending from the body of said guitar a first given length, the free end of said neck portion terminating in a peg head of a second given length less than said first given length; and weight means incorporated in said peg head to provide an overall acoustic resonant characteristic for said neck substantially the same as would result if said first given length were equal to said second given length.

2. A guitar neck according to claim ll, in which said second given length is greater than one half said first given length.

3. A guitar neck construction for a guitar, comprising: an elongated neck portion merging at one end from the body of said guitar and terminating at its other end in a peg head, said peg head including a plurality of tuning pegs for guitar strings and being shorter in length than said neck portion; a nut disposed substantially at the beginning point of said peg head; and weight means in said neck adjacent to said nut such that the acoustic resonance characteristics of said neck are substantially the same as though equal lengths of said neck extended on either side of said nut to establish a nodal area in said neck adjacent to said nut.

4. A guitar neck according to claim 3, in which said weight means includes an enlargement of said neck portion substantially at the point it merges into said peg head.

5. A guitar neck according to claim 4, in which said weight means additionally includes a transverse bar secured to the extreme end of said peg head.

6. A guitar neck according to claim 5, in which said neck is of a laminated construction including layers of wood through which the speed of sound is diiferent whereby the resonance curve of said neck is substantially broadened.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 478,933 7/92 I-Ienning 84293 2,101,364 12/37 Dopyera 84-293 2,469,582 5/49 Strong 84-293 FOREIGN PATENTS 23,874 12/95 Great Britain. 78,525 5 5 1 Norway.

LEO SMILOW, Primary Examiner. 

1. A GUITAR NECK CONSTRUCTION FOR A GUITAR, COMPRISING: AN ELONGATED NECK PORTION EXTENDING FROM THE BODY OF SAID GUITAR A FIRST GIVEN LENGTH, THE FREE END OF SAID NECK PORTION TERMINATING IN A PEG HEAD OF A SECOND GIVEN LENGTH LESS THAN SAID FIRST GIVEN LENGTH; AND WEIGHT MEANS INCORPORATED IN SAID PEG HEAD TO PROVIDE AN OVERALL ACOUSTIC RESONANT CHARACTERISTIC FOR SAID NECK SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME AS WOULD RESULT IF SAID FIRST GIVEN LENGTH WERE EQUAL TO SAID SECOND GIVEN LENGTH. 